SAVS Weekly Update – Week Ending Friday 27th October 2017

Highlight of the Week

ECF Phone-in

Are you a voluntary organisation which is working to make your community safer and do you need funding?

If so, Essex Community Foundation (ECF) will be holding a Phone-in Funding Surgery to help you identify if there are grants available to support your work and talk you through the process of making an application.

This phone-in event will be held on Wednesday 8 November between 10am to 12 noon.

ECF grant officers will be on hand to discuss your funding options. Please call them, on the day, on 01245 356018. There is no need to book a slot.

If you cannot get through, please leave a voicemail with your name, what organisation you are calling from and your phone number. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.

ECF is an independent charitable trust improving the quality of life of people in Essex, Southend and Thurrock by investing and distributing funds on behalf of a wide range of donors. Since 1996, the Foundation has awarded over 7000 grants to support a variety of voluntary organisations and projects. More information can be found on www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk.

News

Club 50+

Ballroom, Latin, Old Time and Line Dancing teachers are required at Club 50+ to teach some of its members, a small fee can be paid if you can help please call Barry Harvey on 01702 346863.

Local Charities Day 2017

15th December 2017 is Local Charities Day. Be amongst the first to register on the Local Charities Day Map so that people can find out who you are and what you do at the click of a button. Also on offer for Local Charities Day from the FSI:

1. At the FSI we are running a competition offering £100 for the winning charity able to tell us why you think local charities are important.

Simply complete this sentence in 140 characters or less: “Local Charities are important because…” emailing your response to will@thefsi.org or tweeting @thefsiincluding the hashtag #LocalCharitiesDay

2. Want to be featured on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s blog page to help raise awareness of your charity? Email will@thefsi.org providing 200-450 words on:

A summary of your charity, the work you do and how it helps people in local communities

Why it’s important to celebrate Local Charities Day

A few words on how you’ll be celebrating Local Charities Day this year

Include a headshot photo with name and job title of the author, any relevant website links throughout the blog, at least 2 images illustrating your work, any video links (ideally Youtube or Vimeo) which can be embedded into the post

Events and Meetings

Chalkwell Residents Association – Aspirations

Former Mayor of Southend Sally Carr will speak at the next meeting of Chalkwell Ward Residents Association, on Wednesday, 8th November at Alleyn Court School, 3 Imperial Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 8NE, starting at 8pm.

The theme of her talk will be Aspirations, the charity she set up to give material help to young people in the town to get on in their lives. The talk will be followed by the business part of the meeting in which members are updated on developments within the ward, and generally have the chance to raise matters of local concern with one of or more of our ward councillors.

Southend in Transition – Sun 5/11 10-15

Bonfire with a vegan/vegetarian fry up breakfast 🍳 for lunch! Bubble and squeak, veg sausages, bean stew, home made bread 🍞, mushrooms, 🍳 … 🔥 hot chocolate🍫 Does it get any better than this?!

Open to all, whether you feel you have green fingers or just fancy a cuppa and chat… We love to drink tea and chat, actually we love to eat too 🍲 hence the “fancy” lunch straight from the fire!

Potluck lunch so please bring vegetarian food to share, if you don’t happen to slave all night cooking, don’t worry we always have plenty!

Ohh and don’t forget the marshmallows! Might do some gardening as well.

Charity Auction for Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society

Saturday, 11th November at St. Cedd’s Church Hall, Bridgwater Drive, Westcliff, SS0 0DS.

Over 100 lots will be going under the hammer. Viewing is from 2 pm, the auction starts at 2.30 pm. £1 admission for the auction programme.

Support Together Southend

Mew Peer Support Group, Rethink Mental Illness Support Together Southend meeting on Wednesday 8 November, 7-9pm at Balmoral Community Centre, Salisbury Ave, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 7AU. No need to book, all welcome. Refreshments will be provided. The meetings will continue on the second Wednesday of each month, same time, same place.The group is open to anyone over the age of 18 who would like support with their mental wellbeing, including people with lived experience, carers, family & friends.

Please share this with anyone you know who lives in Southend-on-Sea and other parts of Essex who might benefit from attending such a group. Please spread the word and publicise the group via your organisations, relevant connections, community and business networks. We welcome referrals and encourage signposting from you. You can contact us via our Facebook page: Rethink Mental Illness Support Together Southend

The #SupportTogetherSouthend group is established to support #RethinkMentalIllness’s mission: to lead the way to a better quality of life for everyone affected by severe mental illness, to challenge attitudes and to change lives. The group’s overall purpose is to #empower, promote and advance the #mentalwellbeing of those in the local community of #SouthendonSea and its surrounding areas. The group is peer led and so coordinators have lived in experience of mental illness.

‘SHARE SHED’

Share Shed is a library of things, will open in Shoebury providing a low-cost alternative to buying high-quality items.

We already have premises to operate The Share Centre, on West Road in Shoebury, will provide a space for local people to borrow objects and share skills in a fun, social setting. It is a partnership between The Repair Café and is being set up by MyTown Southend, as part of their Share Community Centre.

‘Share Shed’ expects to stock a large variety of items for borrowing including DIY tools, gardening equipment, leisure items, musical instruments and cooking utensils, giving the community have access to what they need as well the chance to browse items before deciding what they want. Regular workshops will also take place each month, providing an opportunity for people to learn new skills in a comfortable and social space.

Our aim is to get people sharing more. So much is spent on buying tools, children’s toys etc when we only need them for a short while at a time. We hope the Share Shed will be an effective resource for the town, allowing locals to spend less, waste less and connect more.”

The next step will be to recruit more volunteers, build the stock of donated items and publicize the service.

Funding

Henry Smith Charity Announces New Main Grants Strategy

After pausing its grants programme for the month of September, the charity has reopened for applications that address its new Main Grants Strategy.

The Henry Smith Charity, an independent grant-making trust in the UK, aims to bring about lasting change to people’s lives, helping them to benefit from and contribute to society. To achieve this, it funds not-for-profit organisations in the UK that work with people to reduce social and economic disadvantage. There are two new funds;

– The Main Grants: Improving Lives Fund is the largest of the Charity’s funds, and will support the work of established charitable organisations with incomes of up to £2 million. Grants of between £20,000 and £60,000 per year are available for projects that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.

– The Main Grants: Strengthening Communities Fund is designed to support small charitable organisations working at grassroots level in the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Grants of between £20,000 and £60,000 per year are available.

Government Invites Bids for New Mental Healthcare Funding

The Department of Health has launched the new £15 million Beyond Places of Safety scheme to better support people at risk of experiencing a mental health crisis in England. The new fund follows on from the £15 million Improving Places of Safety scheme (2015-2017) that aimed to reduce the number of people who end up in a police cell following detention under the Mental Health Act. The new capital grants scheme is focussed on improving urgent and emergency mental health care (including conditions such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders that could cause people to be a risk to themselves or others) by investing in facilities and infrastructure in local area. The funding is focused on preventing people from reaching crisis point in the first place and helping to develop new approaches to support people who experience a mental health crisis. The scheme, which is for people of all ages from children to older people, will disperse capital funding, either as Public Dividend Capital to the NHS or as grants to other providers. The minimum grant is £5,000. There is no maximum award. Applicants should keep in mind that the funder is looking to fund a reasonable number of bids across a relatively fair geographical spread. The funding will be awarded between June and December 2019 at the very latest to ensure the project is completed by 31 March 2020. Applications must be made jointly on behalf of partner organisations within the local Crisis Care Concordat group. This could be NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trust, Local Authorities, and third sector, voluntary, and civil society organisations. Visit http://www.crisiscareconcordat.org.uk/beyond-places-safety-bpos/ for more information.

Sainsbury’s Local Food Partner Programme

Sainsbury’s continues to expand its Local Food Partner Programme and is accepting applications from local charities to join the network. Local food partner charities can collect dry and tinned food donated by customers and/or fresh food donated by Sainsbury’s to distribute in the community. Applicants must be a registered charity, have appropriate Food Hygiene certification and be able to collect donated food regularly from you partner store. A Food Partner must be able to collect food from their local store regularly; put in place effective procedures for the receipt, storage and security of food provided by Sainsbury’s; ensure all staff involved in handling food are knowledgeable of food hygiene requirements; and comply with legally acceptable standards of hygiene in handling, storage, preparation and serving of meals and in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions where available. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. http://www.ccworks.co.uk/sainsburys.html

Funding for Projects that Combat Abuse and Violation of Human Rights (Deadline 1 December 2017)

UK-registered charities that seek to combat abuse and violations of human rights can apply for funding through the A B Charitable Trust (ABCT). The Trust is particularly focussed on charities supporting unpopular causes reaching the most vulnerable and marginalised in society, for example, prisoners and penal reform; migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; human rights, particularly access to justice. The Trust generally makes one-off grants to charities registered and working in the UK with annual incomes of between £150,000 and £1.5m that do not have substantial investments or surpluses. Grants range in size, with most grants awarded being in the range £10,000 to £20,000. ABCT does not normally fund charities with large national or international links. Apply online following the guidelines supplied on the website. http://abcharitabletrust.org.uk/application.htm

€2 Million Horizon Prize for Better Mobility of Older People (Opens 27 November 2017, until 28 February 2019)

The European Commission has announced that its €2 Million Horizon prize for better mobility of older people will open for applications from the 27th November 2017 until the 28th February 2019. It is estimated that the EU’s population is ageing rapidly and that the share of people aged 65+ will increase from 17.5% in 2010 to 29.5% in 2060. The contest will be open to any legal entity or groups of legal entities established in EU Member States or in countries associated to Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation programme. The aim of this contest is to develop innovative and sustainable mobility solutions for senior citizens (65+). This will help to combat social exclusion and support independent living. The prize(s) will be awarded, after closure of the contest, to the applicant(s) who in the opinion of the jury demonstrate(s) a solution that best addresses the award criteria. The solutions submitted – likely to combine technological, social and behavioural features – must be implemented for several months during the contest period. The jury will assess the work and progress made by the applicants during an implementation period of at least 5 months between the opening of the prize and the submission of the applications, based on measurable evidence that they will have to provide. Applicants will also have to demonstrate that their solution can be scaled-up and replicated in similar or even different contexts. http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizonprize/index.cfm?prize=social-innovation&pg=rules

Final Round of Bright Ideas Fund to Open Shortly

Community organisations that are seeking funding for a new community business idea have one last opportunity to apply for a grant as the third and final round of the Community Business Bright Ideas Fund will open for applications on 1 November. Jointly funded by Power to Change and the Department for Communities and Local Government, the £1.85 million Community Business Bright Ideas Fund offers a programme of tailored community business development support and grants of up to £15,000 to help community groups in England set up their own business and carry out the necessary consultations with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs. https://mycommunity.org.uk/funding-options/bright-ideas-fund/

Home Office Launches Knife Crime Community Fund (31 October 2017)

Voluntary and community groups can submit a bid for funding for projects to stop knife crime in their community. The Home Office is making £500,000 available in 2017/18 to support community projects which reduce knife crime and have a positive impact on young people who are at risk of carrying a knife and committing a crime. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/knife-crime-community-fund#how-to-apply

Local School Nature Grants Scheme (Deadline, 1 December 2017)

The scheme offers schools the opportunity to apply for up to £500 worth of equipment from the product catalogue on the Learning through Landscapes website to help schools undertake environmental improvements. The scheme is only open to schools; learners must be aged 5 and upwards. Successful applicants will have demonstrated that they are passionate about making environmental improvements and, ideally, will have included the children and their local community in decision making about the project and the choice of equipment. All schools in England, Scotland and Wales have a list of 72 products to choose from; the list includes items such as bird boxes, bee hotels and den making kits. Awards include a two-hour training session to help schools get the most out of the equipment provided. https://www.ltl.org.uk/naturegrants/index.php

The Department for Education has launched the 2018-19 bidding round for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). The fund is available to some academies and sixth-form colleges for capital funding. The main priority for CIF is to keep academy and sixth-form college buildings safe and in good working order. This includes funding projects to address health and safety issues, building compliance and poor building condition. CIF also supports a small proportion of expansion projects. These are for Ofsted-rated good or outstanding academies and sixth-form colleges that need to expand their existing facilities and/or floor space. As part of the CIF bidding process £100million of revenue generated from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will be used for the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund (HPCF). This fund is intended to improve children’s and young people’s physical and mental health by enhancing access to facilities for physical activity, healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing and medical conditions, such as kitchens, dining facilities, changing rooms, playgrounds and sports facilities. The same criteria apply to bids for HPCF as to all other CIF bids. Responsible bodies that receive School Condition Allocations (and are therefore not eligible for CIF) will receive a direct allocation from the HPCF. This direct allocation is in addition to their normal SCA and will be announced and paid alongside it. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-improvement-fund

The British Science Week Community Grant Scheme is providing grants of £500-£1000 grants to community groups to run their own science activities during British Science Week (9-18 March 2018). The mission of the British Science Week Community Grant Scheme is to expand the audiences that engage with science and the grants are available community groups that work directly with audiences who are traditionally under-represented and currently not engaged in science activity. This can include people who are Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME); people with low socioeconomic status (SES), including people disadvantaged in terms of education and income; young people facing adversity, including those not in education, employment or training (NEET); people with a disability; and people living in a remote and rural location, defined as settlements of less than 10,000 people. Community grants cannot be used for events or activities with school groups unless they are a special needs school. For school activities, the schools themselves, if they meet the eligibility criteria, should apply for our Kick Start Grants. https://www.britishscienceweek.org/about-us/grants/bsw-community-grant-scheme/

B&Q Community Re-Use Scheme for Schools and Community Groups

DIY store B&Q operates a community re-use scheme through all its branches across the UK. The scheme donates unsellable products and materials for re-use by local schools, other educational institutions and community groups, for the benefit of the local community and the environment. All items are donated on the understanding that they will be re-used or disposed of responsibly if they aren’t used. Eligible groups include: Schools and colleges; Child minders, playgroups and nurseries; Allotment associations, community gardening projects; Youth groups including scouts, guides and cadets; Registered charities; Hospices; Conservation groups including The Conservation Volunteers and Forest Schools; Community projects organised by local churches and other religious groups; Women’s Institute, Lions Clubs, Rotary, Townswomen Guilds; Royal British Legion; Adult education projects, University of the Third Age and other local community groups. B&Q also works with Community Repaint, a network of schemes that collects any surplus, re-usable paint and redistributes it within their communities to individuals and families on low income, charities and community groups. For more information please contact your local store directly and speak to a duty manager. http://www.diy.com/corporate/community/waste-donation/

Contract Opportunities

Settings Market Engagement Event Invitation

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is considering options for the placement of young people in Leaving Care / Independent Living Settings. As part of a wider engagement and consultation, we are inviting stakeholders to a market engagement event to shape the service model and service specification to develop a Dynamic Purchasing System Framework for the provision of housing with support for young people aged 16-18 years. Date Tuesday 7th November 2017, 15:00 -17:00, in The Darwin room (front) , Tickfield Centre, Southend ,SS2 6LL. Space will be limited with allocation to 2 people per organisation; bookings can be made up until Friday 3rd November 2017 via eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/placements-for-young-people-southend-market-engagement-event-tickets-39218121457

Training

Directors’ Roles and Responsibilities

If you are a non-executive Director of a company with charitable or social aims and you are not sure of the difference between your status as a Non-Executive Director and that of an Executive Director, then this course on the 15th November is for you. It will explain the essential differences between the two roles and look at some of the key responsibilities that a Non-Executive has.To read more and to book >

Training in London: 21st – 23rd November 2017

The FSI are offering 300 delegate training places to small charities, to access the skills they need to become self sustaining. Training sessions cover a wide range of fundraising techniques, as well as back office skills, governance, strategy and impact, delivered by experienced and knowledgeable trainers.

Cost: Full Day Training Courses have an average market value of £300 but are delivered to our members for £15. To secure a place you will be required to pay a £50 deposit but on attendance and after completing the full day training course £35 will be refunded to you. Retained fees contribute to booking and administration. Deposits will not be returned in cases of partial attendance.

Fundraising Workshops in London: 7th December 2017

FSI’s next event in London will offer 60 delegate training places so that all small charities, wherever they are, can access the skills they need to become self sustaining. Workshops cover a wide range of fundraising techniques and back office skills delivered by experienced and knowledgeable trainers. You can attend one, two or all three workshops on the day.

Venue: Chestnuts Community Centre, 280 St Ann’s Road, London, N15 5BN

Date: Thursday, 7th December 2017

Time: 09:30 – 15:30

Cost: One and a half hour workshops have an average market value of £90 but are delivered to our members for £5, to secure a place you will be required to pay a £15 deposit but on full attendance of the workshop and completion of surveys £10 will be refunded to you. Retained fees contribute to deposit and refund processing and administration costs.

FSI Workshops in London: 8th December 2017
FSI’s next event in London will offer 60 delegate training places so that all small charities, wherever they are, can access the skills they need to become self sustaining. Workshops cover a wide range of fundraising techniques and back office skills delivered by experienced and knowledgeable trainers. You can attend one, two or all three workshops on the day.

Cost: One and a half hour workshops have an average market value of £90 but are delivered to our members for £5, to secure a place you will be required to pay a £15 deposit but on full attendance of the workshop and completion of surveys £10 will be refunded to you. Retained fees contribute to deposit and refund processing and administration costs.

@ Southend Adult Community College, Ambleside Drive
This qualification is ideal for you if you are already working, or preparing to work within industry and wish to become a First Aider in the workplace for the purposes of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Our experienced and friendly trainers will ensure you complete the course feeling confident and well prepared. The topics within this qualification are regarded by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) as being important in maintaining good practice. This is a nationally recognised qualification and it is delivered as a 1 day course. To achieve the full qualification you will be assessed throughout the training for your practical skills and complete a workbook to show your understanding. In line with guidance provided by the HSE, the qualification supports/approves work place emergency first aiders for a period of 3 years, after which point you will need to retake the qualification. In addition to this it is also recommended that you refresh your knowledge annually.

SACC Bitesize courses

Jobs

Sessional Counsellor (Adult Clients)

SOS Domestic Abuse Projects requires a Sessional Counsellor for a Domestic Abuse Agency based in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, to work with adult clients who have been victims of domestic abuse, as part of their recovery.
Essential qualifications include BACP or an equivalent accredited diploma in Psychology and/or Counselling; BACP membership is key.

Hourly Rate: £16.00 per hour
Hours: Up to 6 hours per week (between 9:00am and 6:00pm)
Locations: Any SOSDAP site in Westcliff – Crisis Centre, Refuge, Community
Closing date: Midday on Monday 13th November 2017

For further information and an application pack, please contact hr@sosdap.org

Dementia Support Jobs

Alzheimer’s Society are now recruiting for additional staff. The adverts for the roles have now been placed on the Society’s website – you can view them here:

Please share these vacancies with any colleagues, members of the public, friends and family who might be interested in pursuing a career with the Society.

Recovery College Manager

37.5 hours/week
£30,000 – £34,000 + pension

The REACH Recovery College in South East Essex has got off to a great start. Launched in January 2017, we have more than 300 students and a wide range of innovative courses and workshops for students to engage with. Students have co-produced all new courses as well as our systems and processes and peer support offer.

We are looking for a Recovery College Manager to help REACH in its next stage of development as we consolidate our offer across Southend, Castle Point and Rochford. Working closely with commissioners, EPUT NHS Mental Health Trust and third sector partners in the area, the Manager will lead and co-produce the strategic and operational development, co-ordination and implementation of the College at a critical time in the development of mental health services and the recovery network in Essex.

We are looking for somebody with strong project and people management skills, the ability to work across sectors and to effectively lead change. You will ensure that adults with mental health problems are at the heart of the development of the College as we seek to prevent, reduce and delay the use of secondary mental health services. For more information on REACH visit www.reachrecoverycollege.org.uk

REACH is managed and co-ordinated by Trust Links, which is an independent local charity for mental health and wellbeing. Founded in 2002, Trust Links seeks to respond to the needs of local people through a range of empowering, supportive and nurturing projects and programmes including our popular Growing Together community gardens and the carers project as part of the Southend Carers Hub. Visit our website for more information: www.trustlinks.org

Senior Nursery Worker

The Pre-school Learning Alliance is a leading early years Charity, also the largest voluntary sector provider of childcare services. We have some exciting opportunities in our Shoebury Nursery based in Southend. The nursery is part of a group of full daycare nurseries that provides childcare and support for young children and their families and works in partnership with Southend on Sea Borough Council and the Department for Education.

Benefits
If you join the Pre-school Learning Alliance, you will receive 25 days annual leave (pro rata), a company pension and regular access to training and development opportunities.

£16,559 – £17,323 p.a. inclusive of Local Weighting
Ref: SHOE3v1

You will provide inclusive play and learning opportunities for all children attending the setting and maintain a safe, stimulating and enjoyable environment. You will also take responsibility for planning and delivering a foundation stage curriculum.

Essential criteria for this role is a minimum level 3 early years education and childcare qualification and post qualification experience within this area. You will also be required to supervise setting staff working in your specific area and have an understanding of child development and children’s needs.